How to Identify Skipper Moths

Although skippers appear to be moths, they are actually a third group that is related to both butterflies and moths. Skippers, like moths and butterflies, are found worldwide. Skippers share characteristics with both moths and butterflies and sometimes have the appearance of being a cross between the two. There are, however, groups of characteristics that allow observers to confidently identify skippers. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Consider the time of day. Moths are nocturnal, whereas butterflies and skippers are diurnal, or active during the day.
2. Check the coloration. Skippers, unlike butterflies, tend to be colored in dull tones. This leads to their confusion with moths.
3. Watch how the wings are held while the specimen is perched. A skipper folds up its wings, while a butterfly's wings remain fully extended. You can usually see both the front and hind wings because they separate when a skipper folds them.
4. Examine the body size. Skippers tend to have fat-looking bodies that are usually bigger than butterfly bodies. Moth bodies the same size as a skipper's or larger. Skipper wings are smaller in proportion to their bodies than a butterfly's wings.
5. Look closely at the antennae. Skippers have hooked antenna tips that are thicker and darker than the rest of the antenna.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't rely too much on any one feature when identifying skippers. There are, for example, diurnal moths. Use each characteristic that you identify to narrow down the possibilities.
• It is impossible to distinguish some species of skippers except for dissection.
• The African skipper moth is an unrelated insect that is found in East Africa.